With the rising influence of Al-Qaeda, the Yemeni government and people now appear sandwiched between the Shiite Houthis and the infamous terrorist group.

Hundreds of Al-Qaeda militants on Monday captured the center of the Al-Udayn district in the central Yemeni province of Ibb, a security source has said.

"Militants raised the Al-Qaeda flag over government buildings in the district and set up checkpoints across it," the source told Anadolu Agency on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to the media.

Three police conscripts were killed and three others wounded late Wednesday in attacks by Al-Qaeda on the district's local security headquarters, its post office and a local credit bank.

Militants from the Shiite Houthi movement, meanwhile, currently control the center of Ibb province and the latter's Yarim district.

The Houthis have set up checkpoints in areas under their control, having captured the center of the province and the Yarim district without encountering any resistance from government police.

Houthis have remained in control of capital Sanaa since September 21, after inking a deal with Yemen's president aimed at ending the country's political crisis.

Since then, the Houthis have been trying to extend their control to other provinces of the country.

Yemen has been dogged by political turmoil since a popular uprising that erupted in 2011 toppled longstanding president Ali Abdullah Saleh one year later.